ok...

ingredients..

2/3 lbs of potatoes
1lb of minced beef (ground beef i think you call it)
1 large onion
2 large carrots
1 large leek
1 of each of red, green and yellow peppers
good quality mature cheddar cheese...(is monteray jack a hard cheese?)
a teaspoon of horseradish sauce
2 beef stock cubes

method....

peel and chop potatoes into small chunks and put them on to boil, salt the water and cook until they are soft and ready to fall apart. strain them and leave to air for a few minutes to release extra steam and water. then add salt, pepper and butter and mash them until smooth. add a couple of ounces of grated cheese and the horseradish sauce and mix.
next chop pepopers onions and leeks, dice the carrots and heat a pan with a dot of butter.
add vegetables and mince and and cook until mince is brown.
add the stock cubes and a litre or so of boiling water, at least enough to make a good gravy and leave to simmer for about twenty mins.
thicken the stock and strain off the veggies and meat and put them in a casserole dish without the gravy. put the mash ontop of veggies and meat and flatten out. grate some more cheese on the top and put it in the oven for about half an hour on a medium heat until the top is golden and bubbly....

reheat the gravy and serve.....

its lovely...very warming...its what i call proper food...

although technically sheppards pie is made with mince lamb....its just as good...and if its made with beef its called cottage pie, but really there is no difference..

its great